UNPROFESSIONALISM AT MOTOR IMAGE (MI)
1. For the benefit / information to all Subaru owners, I would like to relate a very bad experience we had when dealing with Motor Image (MI).
2. So on behalf on the sad Subaru owner, I hereby would like to relate the bad episode we had with MI. The WRX was bought from MI on 25.1.08 because it came strongly recommended by Subaru friends, plus with a 3 year warranty or 60,000 km whichever comes first. When bought it had 13000 km mileage. JPJ card stated “kereta impot baru”. Regular services (5000-7000 km) done at MI. One shock absorber was replaced within the third week of purchase. One used STI Genome muffler was fixed outside. During the regular services done at MI, nobody informed / advised owner on the usage of the used Genome muffler would render the warranty void. In fact, owner earlier seek advise from the sales staff whether its ok to fix the muffler and the answer given was ok to fix it. Sometimes in March, owner complained to MI about seeing smoke coming out from the front scoop but the standard answer given by technician ‘NO PROBLEM LAH’. Engine was kept stock standard.
3. One week before his trip to Lumut, the car was send-in for another service. On return trip home (15.6.08) the Subaru convoy stopped at Sg. Buloh R&R for 45 mins. Later, we proceeded for home after a happy outing at Lumut. Unfortunately, at about 7.30pm, he heard loud clonking noises coming from the engine and suddenly the car broke down just a few km from his house. The car was then put on a flat-bed truck and delivered to Motor Image the same day at 11pm.
4. The next day (16/6), owner saw John Lim (JL), GM of MI and was informed, he will open-up the engine to find out whats wrong. After many calls and few visits to MI, sad to say, the engine was only dismantled on 1/7/08. on 26/6, 8 Subaru members including the owner visited MI to have a frank dialogue with the GM. We were made to wait for about 1 hour before we could see him (we had to ask his PA few times his whereabout!). we were told to walk to the parts dept where he was located. Sadly it is a small place where only 2 chairs were available and the 6 of us have got to stand for 45 minutes while talking to JL (poor public relations!). JL could have instructed his PA for us to wait in the conference room where we can be seated comfortably.
5. We asked him many questions about the car like why engine was not dismantle after more than 4 weeks in the workshop. The warranty claim, no receipt issued after taking-in the car, his action plan on the car and so forth. We were upset the way he handle the discussion, like saying the owner revved his car (without having solid proof), contaminated petrol / Ron 97 (in Japan Ron 100), no oil cooler and other craps / what really piss off our group was the way he conducted the talk, he was not straight forward, meddling / fiddling his desk computer while talking to us at certain point, he was quite arrogant in answering our questions.
6. Since no report was given to car owner (car in workshop more than 30 days), owner wrote in two letters dated 3/7 and 9/7 to JL but no reply till today. JL even gave instructions to his staff NOT to talk to owner about the car condition without his permission (what a big joke and customer relations!). On 4/7 JL called owner to inform NO WARRANTY claim can be made because he fitted the muffler from outside (another lame excuse in not accepting responsibility). On 18/7, 5 Subaru members called on JL to discuss the warranty claim. He avoided the subject matter but said he waited to test the engine oil (supplied by MI), check the engine component parts and to send the ECU to FHI. On 25/7 owner call up MI to find out status but was shock to find out no action taken by JL. So can u imagine the owner’s anger and frustrations in dealing with MI.
7. In fact two calls were made to Glen Tan (CEO of MI) who is based in Singapore, but unfortunately he did not return our calls even through messages were left to Kelly Chong (his PA). However, on behalf of the owner, I spoke twice to Kelly Chong relating our bad / poor experience with MI Malaysia. By the way, we were dully informed by Ms. Kelly, JL has deal directly with the owner on the issue, (dia mau lepas tangan!).
8. Another big joke happened last week when owner was denied entry to the workshop to take photos of the engine! There was a stand-off for about 15 mins before permission was given to him to take the photos.
9. So to all Subaru friends, here we were, a classic example of shrieking responsibility towards a simple, genuine warranty claim! Again, the GM’s attitude is left much to the desired.
10. In view of the above subject matter (after a lapse of more 50 days, no actions taken to replace / repair the engine).
1. For the benefit / information to all Subaru owners, I would like to relate a very bad experience we had when dealing with Motor Image (MI).
2. So on behalf on the sad Subaru owner, I hereby would like to relate the bad episode we had with MI. The WRX was bought from MI on 25.1.08 because it came strongly recommended by Subaru friends, plus with a 3 year warranty or 60,000 km whichever comes first. When bought it had 13000 km mileage. JPJ card stated “kereta impot baru”. Regular services (5000-7000 km) done at MI. One shock absorber was replaced within the third week of purchase. One used STI Genome muffler was fixed outside. During the regular services done at MI, nobody informed / advised owner on the usage of the used Genome muffler would render the warranty void. In fact, owner earlier seek advise from the sales staff whether its ok to fix the muffler and the answer given was ok to fix it. Sometimes in March, owner complained to MI about seeing smoke coming out from the front scoop but the standard answer given by technician ‘NO PROBLEM LAH’. Engine was kept stock standard.
3. One week before his trip to Lumut, the car was send-in for another service. On return trip home (15.6.08) the Subaru convoy stopped at Sg. Buloh R&R for 45 mins. Later, we proceeded for home after a happy outing at Lumut. Unfortunately, at about 7.30pm, he heard loud clonking noises coming from the engine and suddenly the car broke down just a few km from his house. The car was then put on a flat-bed truck and delivered to Motor Image the same day at 11pm.
4. The next day (16/6), owner saw John Lim (JL), GM of MI and was informed, he will open-up the engine to find out whats wrong. After many calls and few visits to MI, sad to say, the engine was only dismantled on 1/7/08. on 26/6, 8 Subaru members including the owner visited MI to have a frank dialogue with the GM. We were made to wait for about 1 hour before we could see him (we had to ask his PA few times his whereabout!). we were told to walk to the parts dept where he was located. Sadly it is a small place where only 2 chairs were available and the 6 of us have got to stand for 45 minutes while talking to JL (poor public relations!). JL could have instructed his PA for us to wait in the conference room where we can be seated comfortably.
5. We asked him many questions about the car like why engine was not dismantle after more than 4 weeks in the workshop. The warranty claim, no receipt issued after taking-in the car, his action plan on the car and so forth. We were upset the way he handle the discussion, like saying the owner revved his car (without having solid proof), contaminated petrol / Ron 97 (in Japan Ron 100), no oil cooler and other craps / what really piss off our group was the way he conducted the talk, he was not straight forward, meddling / fiddling his desk computer while talking to us at certain point, he was quite arrogant in answering our questions.
6. Since no report was given to car owner (car in workshop more than 30 days), owner wrote in two letters dated 3/7 and 9/7 to JL but no reply till today. JL even gave instructions to his staff NOT to talk to owner about the car condition without his permission (what a big joke and customer relations!). On 4/7 JL called owner to inform NO WARRANTY claim can be made because he fitted the muffler from outside (another lame excuse in not accepting responsibility). On 18/7, 5 Subaru members called on JL to discuss the warranty claim. He avoided the subject matter but said he waited to test the engine oil (supplied by MI), check the engine component parts and to send the ECU to FHI. On 25/7 owner call up MI to find out status but was shock to find out no action taken by JL. So can u imagine the owner’s anger and frustrations in dealing with MI.
7. In fact two calls were made to Glen Tan (CEO of MI) who is based in Singapore, but unfortunately he did not return our calls even through messages were left to Kelly Chong (his PA). However, on behalf of the owner, I spoke twice to Kelly Chong relating our bad / poor experience with MI Malaysia. By the way, we were dully informed by Ms. Kelly, JL has deal directly with the owner on the issue, (dia mau lepas tangan!).
8. Another big joke happened last week when owner was denied entry to the workshop to take photos of the engine! There was a stand-off for about 15 mins before permission was given to him to take the photos.
9. So to all Subaru friends, here we were, a classic example of shrieking responsibility towards a simple, genuine warranty claim! Again, the GM’s attitude is left much to the desired.
10. In view of the above subject matter (after a lapse of more 50 days, no actions taken to replace / repair the engine).
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